Method of and apparatus for feeding articles



1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lll/l 1.11,,l

`/ j* INVENTOR AMTORNEY Dec. 4, 192?.

' 4 L. L. SALFISBERG METHOD oF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDI'NG ARTICLES FiledFebB Dec. 4,1923. l 1,476.5223- L. L. SALFISBERG METHOD oF AND APPARATUSFOR FEEDING ARTICLES Filed Feb. 24, 1922 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORATTORNEY S Patented Dec. 4, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE;

LEROY L. SALFIISBERG, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO IVERS-LEECOMPANY,

` OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE METHOD 0F ANDAPPARATUS FOR FEEDING ARTICLES.

Application led February 24, 1922. Serial No. 539,645.

' To allwhom t may amwem:

Be it known that I, LEROY L. SAmIsBERG,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, county ofEssex, State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Methods ofand Apparatus for Feeding Articles, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to an imrovement in methods of andapparatus for feeding articles, one object being to feed said articlessuccessively and present them in a uniform predetermined position.Appara tus for this purpose is more particularly adapted for use inconnection with packaging machines of the type in which article carryingpackages in strip form are made with the articles evenly spaced apartand with corresponding dimensions of the articles uniformly positionedwith respect to the strip. carrier. It is also contemplated that myimproved method and the article feeding mechanism embodying myinventionmay be utilized in the making of other forms of packages ,orfor the purpose of countingv or segregatingarticles according to apredetermined order or arrangement.

Considerable diiculty has heretofore been encountered in presenting at agiven point and at a suitably high rate` of speed, a succession ofvarticles in a uniform predetermined'position, particularly where sucharticles are withdrawn from' a hopper where they have been placedcasually and without regard to their individual or relative positions.So far as I am aware, no si le t pe of mechanism thus far available wi legectively withdraw all shapes of articles casually supportcd'in acontainer as described and presentesuch articles at a predeterminedpoint in a uniform predetermined position on a commercial scale. ,Thus,apparatus which is adapted to effectively handle spherical' shapedbodies will not'necessaril be as effect-ive in connection with' the feeing of.

cubes. Moreover, great difficulties are encounted in handling articlesof relatively irregular shape or those which Vhave one dimensionsubstantially greater than any other dimension. One embodiment of myinvention and of apparatus suitable for the practice offmy im- 'hopperis provided with a accompanying the present specification, and

' proved method is illustrated in the drawings broken away to disclosethe larticle holding andseparatmg member,

'Figure 2, a longitudinal vertical section of the same,

Figure 3, a slde view ofthe article guiding and direction changingmechanism, and Figure 4,' a front view of the same. Referring more`particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the articles to be packaged mayconveniently be held in a hopper l having an inclined bottom 2, saidhopper being arranged to discharge through an opening in one of its sidewalls into a drum 3 rotatably mounted on the framework 4 of theapparatus. Adjacent to the inlet end of the drum 3 is an adjustablepartition 5 having an a erture 6. The partition 5 may be supporte inposition .by means of a hollow shaft 7 supported at one end in a wall ofthe hopper and adapted to receive a rod 8. This rod 8 carries at itsinner end a gate 9 operatively arranged with respect to the opening 6 inthe partition 5. By rotating the rod 8, it is possible to vary theextent of said opening 6 thusA controlling the volume or number oarticles passing from the hopper to the interior of the rotating' drum 3and by rotating the hollow shaft 7, the position of the aperture 6 lmaybe changed. For yconvenience in gaining access to the interior of thefeeding apparatus, the bottom wall of the `removable cover 10.

The rotating drum 3 is preferably Y arranged With its longitudinal axisinclined with respect to the vertical axis of the hopper 1 so that therewill,\be sufficient pitch to permit movement of the articles throughsaid drum by gravity. Rotation of the drum is effected by su'table meansAhere shown as Secured to the inner surface of t e drum is a spidermember having a central hub 13 and radiatingspider arms 14 arranged atany angle to the axis of the hub. Acover supporting rod 15 is mounted inthe hubI 13 and carries adjacent to its exterior end a cover plate 16slidably arranged on the rod 15 and cooperating with suitable fasteningmeans such as a nut 17 adapted to retain the cover plate in any desiredposition longitudinally of the rod 15.

The drum 3 is provided adjacent to its discharge end with a flangedportion 18 extending an appreciable distance beyond theperipheralopening of the drum and forming with the cover 16 aperipherally arranged article receiving channel communieating with anarticle guiding throat 19. In Operation, articles are delivered from thefixed hopper 1 into the rotating drum 3 through which they move byreason of the motion of rotation together with the force of gravitytoward the discharge end and into the above mentioned peripherallyarranged channel where, if desired, they assume a nearly verticalposition, it being understood that the present-apparatus is designed forselecting and feeding articles of various sizes and shapes, the distancebetween the flange 18 and the cover plate 16 vbeing regulatable topermit the passage of articles in position to move freely into thethroat 19 and in any desired predetermined relative positions. A`narticle supporting member 20 (Figures 3 and 4) is arrange adjacent tothe discharge opening of said throat and in operative relation to anarticle selecting member or picker 21 having article engaging arms 22,said picker being actuated by any suitable gear adapted to connect thesame with the driving mechanism of the packaging apparatus.

Vith feeding apparatus of the character above described, it is desirablet` provide means for keeping the tablets or articles in motion so thatthe feeding operation may be uninterrupted by congestion or constrictionat any point, and more particularly at the inlet opening of the -throat19 where said throat communicates with the article guiding channelformed between the cover plate 16 and the peripheral flange 18. For thispurpose, an endless belt 23 engages the' channel formed b peripheralsurfaces of the flange 18 and t e cover 16 and effectively closes theperipheral opening between said members 16 and 18, except that portionof the opening which lies opposite the opening of the throat 19. At eachside of this position is a roller'24 mounted ona slidable bracket 25having a slot 26, the edge of said slot cooperating with the head of abolt 27, thus permitting the adjustment of 'and the securing of theroller in any desired position. The remainder of the continuous belt issupported by means of rollers 28 and 29, the rollers 29 being capable ofmovement toward and away from thev rollers 28 for the purpose oftightening or loosening the belt 23. To this end, rollers 29 are mountedon a movable member 30 having a centrally arranged threaded recessadapted to receive a threaded bolt 31 passing through a portion of theframe-work 32 of the machine. To tighten the belt 23, the bolt 31 isturned in the proper direction to move the roller supporting member 30.

To permit free movement of rotation of the drum 3, the same is supportedupon a number of roller bearings including forward bearings 33 engagingthe peripheral flange 34 and rear bearings engaging the peripheralsurface of the drum adjacent to its intake end. Thus, when the drum isrotated lby means of suitable driving mechanism, it position iseffectively retained in operative by means of the rollers described.

It has been found that Some articles require a controlling mechanism inaddition to that hereinabove described in order to move them effectivelyand continuously into the throat. For example, with some articles, ithas been found advisable to interpose an article tipping member 36between the flanged portion 18 of the drum and the cover 16, saidtipping member being provided at one end with a long tapering portionresting upon the belt 23 and at the other end with a curved or hookshaped portion 37 also resting upon the belt and fitting around one ofthe rollers 24. Thus, if the drum is rotated in a clockwise direction,the tipping member 36 will be prevented from riding up on the belt bymeans of said hook portion 37. The tipping member 36 is also providedwith a shoulder 38 resting upon the upper end of the chute so that whenthe drum is rotated in a counter clockwise direction the tipping member36 will not be displaced from its normal operative position. Thisconstruction is particularly effective in feeding oblong articles intothe throat or chute 19. Thus, when the drum is rotated in acounterclockwise direction when viewed from the discharge end, articleswill approach the chute over the upper surface of the tipping member andif they arevlying lengthwise thereon, those in the rear will pressforward and tip the foremost one over the edge so that it will falltoward the chute with a narrower side directed toward the entrancethereto.

Under some circumstances it becomes de-4 in the packages. To change thedirection of the articles the throat is curved so that, as in theillustrated embodiment, the planes of the article, when it reaches thedischarge end of lll() C retained.

the chute are normal to the planes of the article when positioned at thereceiving end thereof. Gbviously, the extent of the curve can be variedto meet different requirements. As `shown in Figure 3, the articlestraverse a curved undercut slot open on one side of the chute member, aportion of said slot being downwardly disposed, so that small pieces ofmaterial, dust and the like will drop out while the whole or unbrokenarticles wlll be llt will be noted from Fi ures 3 and 4 that theapparatus provides or further controlling the osition of the articleafter .it reaches the discharge end of the chute. This feature is imortant in packaging operations-and, in ihe illustrated embodiment, it isutilized to move an oblong article from upright position and resting onone end to a prone position and resting on a side so that the pronearticles may be displacedA in a substantially horizontal direction anddeposited prone upon a moving article receiving strip'or otherwise disosed of.

As indicated more clear y in Figure 4, the platform or article support20' overlies a moving strip or container 39 and is adapted to hold anarticle, 'as 40, in prone position beneath the discharge end of thethroat 19 and in position to receive another similar article withone,end riding on said article 4() and the other end still positionedwithin the throat or in any other equivalent position. It will be notedthat one wall of the 1 chute terminates a sufficient distance above theplatform 20 to present a shoulder or stop 41 in the path of the'lowermost upstanding article when'the same is moved with the pronearticle by operation of the picker -member. The opposite wall of thechute is beveled as at 42 to allow clearance for the upper end of theupright article as it falls toward the prone position. A stop 43 ispositioned to engage thealower end of the article as its upper end fallsand toprevent further endwise movement without interfering withcontinued endwise movement of the prone article thereunder. ln operationof the apparatus described and illustrated, an article is placed proneon the platform 20 and the chute is filled, the lowermost articleresting on the prone article, 'as shown. By rotating the pickermechanism in a counter clockwise diection a picker arm engages the pronearticle and moves the same across the platform; This movement of theprone article carries the lowermost upright article along with it until1a portion of said upper article encounters the stop 41. However, thelower end continues to move with the prone article until it encountersthe sto 43. Meanwhile, the center of gravity of t e article has changedand the latter falls into the position just -vacated by the pronearticle. This operation Vment andi the supportin is repeated uponsuccessively presented ar ticles and' mayv be performed rapidly andcontinuously. Obviously other apparatus than that illustrated can beutilized to perform the operations above described and in the same orequivalent sequence.

My invention also includes the method of feedin articles wherein anarticle is arrange with one dimension extending in a predetermineddirection and supporting another article With the same dimensionextending in a different direction, and displacing the first mentionedarticle from supporting relation to the second mentioned article whilechanging the direction of said dimension of said second mentionedarticle so that it will occupy the position vacated by the firstmentioned article. Thus, where the articles to be packaged are of oblongrectangular shape, the first mentioned article is arranged in flat,prone, or other desired position and in supporting relation to anothersimilar article. By moving the supporting article, the end of thesupported article is moved in the same direction. To produce the desiredresult the supported units will he limited as to the extent of moveunitwill continue to move out from un er the supported unit. v

fThe method hereinabove described has been practiced successfully in thefeeding of articles such as pharmaceutical tablets,

candies and the like, at a relatively high rate of speed. ,The apparatusshown in fthe 'l drawings and described herein provides an effectiveand: preferred type of machine for practicing my improved'method.

l claim as my invention:

1. The method of feeding articles having at least two differentdimensions which includes supporting upon a single article a pluralityof articles with the same dimension extending in a different direction,displacing said single article, and simultaneously changing the positionof the bottommost supported article to that vacated by the displacedsingle article.

2. The method of feeding articles h-aving at least two diiierentdimensions which includes arranging an article with one dimensionextending in a predetermined direction, supporting thereon anotherarticle with the same dimension extending in a dierent direction,displacing said first mentioned article, and simultaneously moving thesupported article into the position vacated by said first mentionedarticle.

means for successively supporting articles for displacement and with thesame dimension uniformly extending in a predetermined direction, meansfor displacing said articles, means for supplying articles to thesupporting means including an article guide having 3. Article feedingmechanism comprising an article guide for successively presentingarticles in contact with said supported articles but with the samedimension uniformly extending in a predetermined direction differentfrom that of the direction of the same dimension of the supportedarticle, and means co-operating with the article displacing means tochangefthe direction of said I same dimension of the successivelypresented articles to that of the same dimension of the supportedarticles.

5. Feedin mechanism for similar articles having lat east two differentdimensions comprising means for supporting an article with a greaterdimension extending in a predetermined direction, a chute for presentinga portion of another article in riding contact with said first mentionedarticle and with a smaller dimension extending in said predetermineddirection, means for moving said first mentioned article in thedirection ofits longer dimension while carrying said riding portion ofthe other article, and means interposed in the path of said ridingportion of the other article to arrest its riding movement on and withthe first mentioned article during continued displacing movement of saidfirst mentioned article.

6. Feeding mechanism for similar articles having at least two differentdimensions comprising means for supporting an article with a greaterdimension extending in -a predetermined direclion, a chute forpresenting a portion of another article in riding contact with saidfirst mentioned article and with a smaller dimension extendin in saidpredetermined direction, means for moving said first mentioned articlein the direc-tion of its longerdimension while carrying said ridingportion of the other article, and meanspositioned to enga e said articleacross its greater dimension to limit the extent of movement of oneportion while the riding portion moves on and with the first mentionedarticle.

7. Feeding mechanism for similar articles having at least two differentdimensions comprismg means for supporting an article with a greaterdimension extending in a predetermined direction, a chute for presentinga portion of 'another article in riding contact with said first,mentioned article and with a smaller dimension extending in saidpredetermined direction, means for moving said first mentioned articlein the direction of its longer dimension While carrying said ridingportion of the other article, means positioned to engage said articleacross its greater dimension tov limit the extent of movement of 'l0 oneportion While the riding portion moves on and wit-h'the first mentionedarticle, and means interposed in the .path of said riding portion toarrest its riding movement on and with said first mentioned'articleduring continued displacing movement of said first mentioned article;

8. The method of feeding articles successively which includes arrangingan article in a predetermined prone position, supporting thereon anarticle in upright posltion, moving said articles While restraining thcelevated end of the uprightarticle, and continuing to move said pronearticle from beneath said upright article While restraining furthermovement of the supporting end thereof.

9. Article feeding mechanism comprising a platform for supporting anarticle in position to be displaced, article guiding` means positionedto present an end of another article in riding engagement with saidfirst mentioned article, means for moving bothY said articlessimultaneously, and means in the path of saidsecond mentioned article toarrest movement thereof whereby said article moves to the positionpreviously occupied by the first mentioned article 'on said platform. Y

10. Article feeding mechanism comprising a chute having a dischargeopening, an article engaging shoulder and an article stop at one sidethereof, and an obliquely disposed article guiding surface opposite saidstop and at the other'side of said opening.

11. Article feeding mechanism comprising a chute having vinteriorlydisposed parallel article engaging and guiding surfaces terminating at adischarge opening, one of said surfaces extending beyond the lothersurface and in a direction away from the plane thereof, a stop arrangedopposite said extended portion and means for moving arti-` cles frombetween said parallel surfaces against said stop and to, a positionbelow the discharge opening of the chute.

12. Article feeding apparatus for packaging machines and the likecomprising a rotatable article conveying drum, a peripheral articlereceiving and positioning annular recess at the discharge end ofthedrum, a recess closing member movable with the drum and arranged topresent an article-discharge opening fixed as to position with respectto the drum, and a relatively stationary article supporting memberriding loosely on the recess closing member.

13; Article feeding apparatus for packaging machines and the likecomprisin a rotatable article conveying drum, a peripheral articlereceiving and positioning annular recess at the discharge end of thedrum, a recess closing member movable with the drum and arranged topresent an article discharge opening fixed as to position with respectto the drum, and a relatively stationary article supporting memberriding loosely on the recess closing member and within the annularrecess.

14. Article feeding apparatus for packaging machines and the likecomprising a rotatable article conveying drum, a peripheral articlereceiving and positioning annular re.

ceSS at the discharge end of the drum, a recess'closing member movablewith the drum and arranged to present an article discharge opening fixedas to position with respect to the drum, and a relatively stationaryarticle .supporting member riding loosely on the recess closinglnegnber,and means for preventing movement of said support with the recessclosing member.

15. Article feeding apparatus for packaging machines. and thelikecomprising a rotatable article conveying drum, a peripheral articlereceiving and positioning annular recess at the discharge end of thedrum, a recess closing member movable with the drum and arranged topresent an article discharge opening fixed as to position with respectto the drum, and a relatively stationary article supporting memberriding loosely on the recess closing member, and having one endpositioned adjacent to said articleidischarge opening and in articledelivering relation thereto.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my*v name to this speciication this16th day of l February 1922.

LEROY L. SALFISBERG.

